foundation document...oak ridge campground (no rv hookups) farms to forest trail loop cemetery...

Foundation DocumentPrince William Forest ParkVirginia December 2013

NatioNal Park Service • U.S. DePartmeNt of the iNterior

On the Cover: Prince William Forest Park in autumn (NPS photo)

Park Map

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PRINCE WILLIAM FOREST PARK

CHOPAWAMSICBACKCOUNTRY AREA

Little

Creek

Quantico

Creek

CartersPond

Breckenridge Reservoir

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LAKE MO

NTCLA

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waterfalls

waterfalls

Headwaters ofQuantico Creek

LOCUST SHADE

PARK

FOREST GREENS

GOLF COURSE

U S M A R I N E C O R P S

R E S E RVAT I O N


R E S E RVAT I O N


R E S E RVAT I O N

Oak Ridge Campground(no RV hook-ups)

Farms to Forest Trail Loop

cemetery

cemetery

Taylor Farmsite

cemetery

Cabin Camp 1(Goodwill

permit required)

Cabin Camp 3(Orendapermit required)registration on-site

Cabin Camp 4(Pleasantpermit required)

Cabin Camp 2(Mawavipermit required)

Cabin Camp 5(Happylandpermit required)

Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail

Hig

h Turkey RunEducation

Center (TREC)(permit required)

Turkey Run Ridge GroupCampground (permit required)

WestGate

Road

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ming

Road

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ylo

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Old

Black

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Burm

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sant

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Lake

Trail

Meadows

LittleRun

Loop

Trail

ValleyN

orth

Trail

Oak

Ridge

Quantico Cas

ca

des Trail

Trail

Sout

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Trail

Valley

Valley

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Dumfries Road

ParkHeadquarters

Ranger Station

TelegraphPicnic Pavilion

NationalMuseum of the Marine Corps

PineGrove

WilliamsBall Field

The CrossingTrail

Road

Mine

Pyrite

Road

Orenda

North

Orenda

Poa Annu

a Lane

Road

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Cabin BranchPyrite Mine

site

Laurel Trail Loop

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Gate

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rth

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Valley

Valley

Trail

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South

Trail

Valley

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Turkey

Ridg

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PiedmontForest Trail

Muschette Trail

Brec

kenr

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oad

Lyke

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QUANTICONATIONAL CEMETERY

Maw

avi

Road

Birch

To Fredericksburg29km 18mi

Bluff Trail

Chopawamsic

Trail

Joplin Road

ParkEntrance

Park HeadquartersRoad

(authorized access only)

Bir

dM

ary

MC

B1

Independent Hill To Manassas

Aden

Road

Minnieville

Road

Sprig

gs

Ro

ad

Cardinal

Branch

Drive

To Washington, D.C. 39km 24mi

Dale Boulevard

Fuller

Road

Van

Bur

en

Road

Road

Graham

Park(permit required)

Primitive campsites(0.2 to 1.0 mile from the trailhead)

proposed trailand parking lot

Jeff

erso

n D

avis

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ighw

ay

Boardwalk

Boardwalk

Prince William Forest RV Campground(hookups available)

Sprig

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DUMFRIES

TRIANGLE

DALE CITY

Visitor Center

Biking and Hiking on Unpaved Roads

Hiking Trails

Biking and Hiking on Unpaved Roads

Hiking Trails

Trail

Burma Road

Lake One Road

Liming Lane

Mawavi Road

North Orenda Road

Old Black Top Road

Pyrite Mine Road

South Orenda Road

Taylor Farm Road

West Gate Road

Muschette Trail

Blaze Total length

2.3km 1.4mi

0.6km 0.4mi

1.4km 0.9mi

1.4km 0.9mi

1.6km 1.0mi

2.6km 1.6mi

1.6km 1.0mi

0.8km 0.5mi

1.4km 0.9mi

1.0km 0.6mi

0.3km 0.2mi

Trail

Birch Bluff Trail

Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine Trail

Chopawamsic Trail

The Crossing Trail

Farms to Forest

Farms to Forest Trail Loop

High Meadows Trail

Laurel Trail Loop

Little Run Loop

Mary Bird Branch

North Valley Trail

Oak Ridge Trail

Piedmont Forest Trail

Quantico Cascades Trail

South Valley Trail

Turkey Run Ridge Trail

Muschette Trail

Blaze Total length

2.7km 1.7mi

0.6km 0.4mi

3.5km 2.2mi

0.8km 0.5mi

1.6km 1.0mi

2.7km 1.7mi

3.4km 2.1mi

2.3km 1.4mi

1.0km 0.6mi

0.8km 0.5mi

5.0km 3.1mi

2.9km 1.8mi

0.6km 0.4mi

1.1km 0.7mi

2.3km 1.4mi

0.3km 0.2mi

14.0km 8.7mi

Cabin campCampground

AmphitheaterWheelchair-accessible

ShowersRV camping

Ranger station

Parking areasand lot name

Unpaved road(open to bicycles)

Hiking trail(closed to bicycles)

Unpaved road

Picnic area

Restrooms

Shared use trail(biking and hiking)

Potomac HeritageNational Scenic Trail(hiking only)Potomac HeritageNational Scenic Trail(biking and hiking)

Locked gateBridge

Drinking water

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PRINCE WILLIAM FOREST PARK

Visitor Center

Visitor Center

§̈¦95

§̈¦95£¤1

£¤1

ST234

ST234

QuanticoCreek

LungaReservoir

Lake Montclair

BreckenridgeReservoir

QuanticoNational

Cemetery

LocustShadePark

ForestGreens

GolfCourse

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO

Triangle

Dumfries

Montclair

Dale City

Quantico Station

Independent Hill

Copyright:© 2009 ESRI

PrinceWilliam

ForestParkVirginia

Ohio

North Carolina

Kentucky

West Virginia

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Maryland

¯0 1 20.5 Miles

Foundation Document

ContentsMission of the National Park Service 2

Introduction 3

Part 1: Core Components 5

Brief Description of the Park 5Park Purpose 7Park Significance 9Fundamental Resources and Values 11Other Important Resources and Values 13Interpretive Themes 15

Part 2: Dynamic Components 17

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 17Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 17

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values 18

Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 27

Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 38

Planning and Data Needs 39

Part 3: Contributors 45

Prince William Forest Park 45National Capital Regional Office 45Preparers 45Consultants 45

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation And Legislative Acts For Prince William Forest Park 47

Appendix B: Prince William Forest Park Special Mandates And Administrative Commitments 50

Prince William Forest Park

Mission of the National Park ServiceThe National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

The NPS core values are a framework in which the National Park Service accomplishes its mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, the National Park Service pursues its mission. The NPS core values are:

· Shared stewardship: We share a commitment to resource stewardship with the global preservation community.

· Excellence: We strive continually to learn and improve so that we may achieve the highest ideals of public service.

· Integrity: We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another.

· Tradition: We are proud of it; we learn from it; we are not bound by it.

· Respect: We embrace each other’s differences so that we may enrich the well-being of everyone.

The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. While numerous national park system units were created prior to 1916, it was not until August 25, 1916, that President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act formally establishing the National Park Service.

The national park system continues to grow and comprises 401 park units covering more than 84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. These units include, but are not limited to, national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. The variety and diversity of park units throughout the nation require a strong commitment to resource stewardship and management in order to ensure both the protection and enjoyment of these resources for future generations.

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The arrowhead was authorized as the official National Park Service emblem by the Secretary of the Interior

on July 20, 1951. The sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and recreational values, and the

arrowhead represents historical and archeological values.

IntroductionEvery unit of the national park system is to have a foundational document that will provide basic guidance for planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and management, or foundation document. The core components of a foundation document include the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, interpretive themes, and special mandates and administrative commitments. The foundation document also includes an assessment of planning and data needs that identifies planning issues, planning products to be developed, and the associated studies and data required for park planning. Along with the core components, the assessment provides a focus for park planning activities and establishes a baseline from which planning documents are developed.

A primary benefit of developing a foundation document is the opportunity to integrate and coordinate all kinds and levels of planning from a single, shared understanding of what is most important about the park. The process of developing a foundation document begins with gathering and integrating information about the park. Next, this information is refined and focused to determine what the most important attributes of the park are. The process of preparing a foundation document aids park managers, staff, and the public in identifying and clearly stating in one document the essential information that is necessary for park management to consider when determining future planning efforts, outlining key planning issues, and protecting resources and values that are integral to park purpose and identity.

While not included in this document, a park atlas is also part of a foundation project. The atlas is a series of maps compiled from available geographic information system (GIS) data on natural and cultural resources, visitor use patterns, facilities, and other topics. It serves as a GIS-based support tool for planning and park operations. The atlas is published as a (hard copy) paper product and as geospatial data for use in a web mapping environment. The park atlas for Prince William Forest Park can be accessed online at: http://insideparkatlas.nps.gov/.

Swallowtail butterfly and thistle (NPS photo)


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Foundation Document

South Fork Quantico Creek and bridge in autumn (NPS photo)

Part 1: Core ComponentsThe core components of a foundation document include a brief description of the park, park purpose, significance statements, fundamental resources and values, other important resources and values, and interpretive themes. These components are core because they typically do not change over time. Core components are expected to be used in future planning and management efforts.

Brief Description of the ParkPrince William Forest Park is located approximately 35 miles south of Washington, D.C., in Prince William County, Virginia. Totaling nearly 15,000 acres, the park is the largest protected natural area in the region and is the third largest national park in the state of Virginia. It is also the largest example of a Piedmont forest in the national park system, serving as a sanctuary for a diversity of plants and animals, which are threatened by increasing development in Northern Virginia.

The park is at the transition between the rolling Piedmont Plateau and the low-lying Atlantic Coastal Plain. These two zones meet within the park at the “fall line,” where land level drops from the harder rocks of the piedmont and flow over the softer sedimentary rocks of the coastal plain, resulting in unique geological features such as waterfalls and rock outcroppings. Parts of the Quantico Creek watershed are also within the park, contributing to the beautiful natural landscape that the park preserves.

The hills within Prince William Forest Park have been inhabited for at least 9,000 years. Many diverse groups, including American Indians, African Americans, loggers, miners, and European settlers, have called the parklands home. These various human inhabitants contributed to a diverse landscape that features historic roads, town sites, and mines. Traces of this human history can still be seen throughout the park, with stone piles marking property corners, old fences, and gravestones in family cemeteries.

(NPS photo)


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The hills within

Prince William

Forest Park have

been inhabited for

at least 9,000 years.

Many diverse

groups, including

American Indians,

African Americans,

loggers, miners, and

European settlers,

have called the

parklands home.

First established in 1933 as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area (RDA), Prince William Forest Park was created as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal—a nationwide effort aimed at fighting the effects of the Great Depression. It was built as a new type of park, where low-income, inner-city children and families could escape the city and experience nature. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA) created programs to reduce unemployment and teach job skills, constructed roads, bridges, dams, and cabin camps throughout the park, which remain today as a reminder of the park’s RDA history.

The family camps closed for three years during World War II when the park became a top-secret paramilitary installation. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the first centralized intelligence agency in the U.S., operated two training schools in the park for spies, teaching recruits to gather intelligence, decipher codes, and interpret covert radio transmissions. Many physical remnants exist from this time period, including the modified cabin camps; bunkers; and areas used for armament practice such as firing, mortar, and demolition ranges.

The park returned to recreational use in 1946 and was established under its present name in 1948. While the region has become increasingly urban, Prince William Forest Park still serves as a place where visitors can engage nature while immersed in the natural landscape that has recovered from a distinctive period of American history.

Lights out at camp (NPS photo)

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Park PurposeThe purpose statement identifies the specific reason(s) for establishment of a particular park. The purpose statement for Prince William Forest Park was drafted through a careful analysis of its enabling legislation and the legislative history that influenced its development. The park was established by Executive Order on November 14, 1936 (see appendix A for enabling legislation and subsequent amendments). The purpose statement lays the foundation for understanding what is most important about the park.

Spring snow (NPS photo)

Prince William Forest Park offers recreational opportunities rooted in its legacy as the model for the New Deal-era

recreational demonstration area program, and preserves, protects, and interprets a diverse array of natural

and cultural resources.

Laurel Loop Bridge (NPS photo)

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Park SignificanceSignificance statements express why a park’s resources and values are important enough to merit designation as a unit of the national park system. These statements are linked to the purpose of Prince William Forest Park, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. Statements of significance describe the distinctive nature of the park and why an area is important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. They focus on the most important resources and values that will assist in park planning and management.

The following significance statements have been identified for Prince William Forest Park. (Please note that the sequence of the statements do not reflect the level of significance.)

· Prince William Forest Park is home to the largest protected Eastern Piedmont forest in the United States.

· Through the protection of a large percentage of the Quantico Creek watershed, Prince William Forest Park provides outstanding opportunities for education and scientific study.

· During World War II, Prince William Forest Park served as a training site for the Office of Strategic Services, the United States’ first centralized intelligence agency; the changes to the landscape from their occupation and use of the park provide tangible connections to this clandestine chapter in American history.

· During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration transformed a landscape of sub-marginal farmlands into the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area; today the park contains the largest concentration of CCC and WPA structures in the national park system.

· Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area was the model for the recreational demonstration area program, a New Deal-era (1933–1938) initiative that built parks for the nation’s urban youth and families.

· During a time of racial segregation, Prince William Forest Park was the first recreational demonstration area in the southern states to provide opportunities for African Americans to connect with the outdoors through cabin camping opportunities.

· Prince William Forest Park protects the longest intact section of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail found within the national park system.

· Prince William Forest Park provides diverse recreational opportunities and solitude within one of the most densely populated regions of the United States.

Morning flag raising at Cabin Camp 1 (NPS photo)

Fundamental Resources and ValuesFundamental resources and values (FRVs) are those features, systems, processes, experiences, stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to warrant primary consideration during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. Fundamental resources and values are closely related to a park’s legislative purpose and are more specific than significance statements.

Fundamental resources and values help focus planning and management efforts on what is truly significant about the park. One of the most important responsibilities of NPS managers is to ensure the conservation and public enjoyment of those qualities that are essential (fundamental) to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. If fundamental resources and values are allowed to deteriorate, the park purpose and/or significance could be impaired.

Diverse recreational opportunities and solitude. (NPS photo)

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The following fundamental resources and values have been identified for Prince William Forest Park:

· Recreation and Renewal. Rooted in its legacy as a recreational demonstration area, Prince William Forest Park provides a wide range of recreational opportunities through recreational vehicle, tent, and cabin campsites; 37 miles of forested trails for hiking, running, solitude, and natural quiet; reservoirs and streams for fishing; scenic roads for biking; outstanding habitat for wildlife viewing; and backcountry areas for backpacking, solitude, and natural quiet.

· Natural Landscape. Once a place of sub-marginal farm lands, silted streams, and clear-cut forests, Prince William Forest Park has restored the native Eastern Piedmont forest and Coastal Plain ecosystems through the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps and modern-day resource stewardship. The plants, animals, streams, and geologic features that make up this natural landscape provide outstanding opportunities for education, research, and recreation.

· Recreational Demonstration Area Legacy. Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area (now known as Prince William Forest Park) was the model for the RDA program, the first national program to construct parks specifically for urban and underprivileged populations. The Chopawamsic model showcased the societal benefits of parks, providing craftsmanship skills to those who constructed and maintained the parks; environmental rehabilitation to the landscape; and life-changing outdoor educational experiences for urban youth, single mothers, and families, a legacy still carried on at Prince William Forest Park today.

· Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area Landscape. Constructed of native materials by laborers and craftsmen from the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration during the 1930s, the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area landscape includes original bridges, dams, lakes, trails, roads, water towers, vegetation, and CCC cabin camps. These structures and their purposeful integration into the natural landscape provide an excellent example of NPS rustic style architectural and landscape design and CCC and WPA craftsmanship.

Camp counselors at the park (NPS photo)


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Other Important Resources and ValuesPrince William Forest Park contains other resources and values that are not fundamental to the purpose of the park, and may be unrelated to its significance, but are important to consider in planning processes. These are referred to as “other important resources and values” (OIRV). These resources and values have been selected because they are important in the operation and management of the park, and warrant special consideration in park planning.

The following other important resources and values have been identified for Prince William Forest Park:

· Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail. An exceptionally well-preserved segment of the route runs through Prince William Forest Park. The allied armies of Gen. George Washington marched along this route to the siege of Yorktown, a pivotal event in the Revolutionary War.

· Water Quality of the Quantico Creek Watershed. Streams in the Quantico Creek watershed that are protected within the park are some of the most unspoiled in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Water quality indicators, such as acidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, clarity, and plant and animal species diversity and abundance, are all well within healthy levels. This healthy water quality allows the streams to serve as baseline standards to which other streams in the region can be compared.

· Threatened and Endangered Species. Prince William Forest Park protects habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered species including the small whorled pogonia, velvet sedge, star-nosed mole, and American ginseng.

· Office of Strategic Services Landscape. Prince William Forest Park was the site of the Advanced Special Operations and Communications Training Schools for the World War II era Office of Strategic Services, America’s first centralized intelligence agency. The park preserves a vast physical landscape left by the agency, including all five cabin camps; shooting, mortar, and demolition ranges; bunkers and mock tank remnants; and the Burma Road.

Learning about snakes (NPS photo)

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Foundation Document

· Museum Collections. The museum collections associated with Prince William Forest Park include ethnographic and oral histories and more than 30,000 objects, including biological specimens, archeological objects, and records such as work orders, maps, photographs, and blueprints from the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration.

· Archeological Resources. The archeological record at Prince William Forest Park contains evidence of continuous human use of the area dating from American Indian use of the site to the modern day. Significant historical periods represented in the archeological record include the period of American Indian use, early settlements and communities, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the CCC and OSS eras.

· Other Cultural Landscapes. Prince William Forest Park’s layered history provides opportunities to protect and interpret a variety of cultural landscapes beyond the five main cabin camps.. These landscapes include building foundations, features, and landscapes such as the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine and bridge; the Poor House; 45 known cemeteries; the Greenwood Gold Mine; settlements including Hickory Ridge, Batestown, and Joplin; American Indian camps; Civil War skirmish sites; historic road traces; witness trees; and mill sites. There are also ethnographic resources associated with cultural landscapes throughout the park.

Learning new games (NPS photo)


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(NPS photo)

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Foundation Document

Interpretive ThemesInterpretive themes are often described as the key stories or concepts that visitors should understand after visiting a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes are derived from, and should reflect, park purpose, significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete when it provides the structure necessary for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to explore and relate to all of the park significance statements and fundamental and other important resources and values.

Interpretive themes are an organizational tool that reveal and clarify meaning, concepts, contexts, and values represented by park resources. Sound themes are accurate and reflect current scholarship and science. They encourage exploration of the context in which events or natural processes occurred and the effects of those events and processes. They go beyond a mere description of the event or process to foster multiple opportunities to experience and consider the park and its resources. Themes help to explain why a park story is relevant to people who may otherwise be unaware of connections they have to an event, time, or place associated with the park.

The following interpretive themes have been identified for Prince William Forest Park:

· Improving Quality of life. As a model site for the nationwide RDA Program, Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area (now Prince William Forest Park) tells the story of sweeping New Deal programmatic reform aimed at providing economic relief to farmers, training and jobs for the unemployed, and memorable summer camp experiences for economically deprived urban populations from Washington, D.C. Prince William Forest Park continues to provide opportunities for residents of the metropolitan area and visitors alike to improve their health, fitness, and well-being.

· Opportunities for Natural Resource Stewardship. The oasis of protected land within Prince William Forest Park preserves irreplaceable habitats for plant and animal communities of the piedmont ecoregion and Quantico Creek watershed. In a sea of suburban sprawl, the park serves as an outdoor laboratory for scientific research and environmental education and as a gateway for all visitors to develop a conservation and preservation stewardship ethic.

· A Military Legacy. From Revolutionary War generals to today’s United States Marine Corps, Prince William Forest Park continues to protect and share its proud military history and forges a greater appreciation for the sacrifices and service of our armed forces.

· Human Relationship with the Land. The lands of Prince William Forest Park preserve a record of diverse relationships between humans and the environment from prehistoric times to the present day. People shaped the landscape and in turn are shaped by the landscape.

Part 2: Dynamic ComponentsThe dynamic components of a foundation document include special mandates and administrative commitments and an assessment of planning and data needs. These components are dynamic because they will change over time. New special mandates can be established and new administrative commitments made. As conditions and trends of fundamental and other important resources and values change over time, the analysis of planning and data needs will need to be revisited and revised, along with key issues.

Special Mandates and Administrative CommitmentsMany of the management decisions for a park unit are directed or influenced by special mandates and administrative commitments with other federal agencies, state and local governments, utility companies, partnering organizations, and other entities. Special mandates are requirements specific to a park that must be fulfilled. Mandates can be expressed in enabling legislation, in separate legislation following the establishment of the park, or through a judicial process. They may expand on park purpose or introduce elements unrelated to the purpose of the park. Administrative commitments are, in general, agreements that have been reached through formal, documented processes, often through memoranda of agreement. Examples include easements, rights-of-way, arrangements for emergency service responses, etc. Special mandates and administrative commitments can support, in many cases, a network of partnerships that help fulfill the objectives of the park and facilitate working relationships with other organizations. They are an essential component of managing and planning for Prince William Forest Park.

A comprehensive list of the park’s special mandates and administrative commitments can be found in “Appendix B: Prince William Forest Park Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments.”

Colonial crafts demonstration during Heritage Days event (NPS photo)


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New Deal job training (NPS photo)

Assessment of Planning and Data NeedsOnce the core components of part 1 of the foundation document have been identified, it is important to gather and evaluate existing information about the park’s fundamental and other important resources and values, and develop a full assessment of the park’s planning and data needs. The assessment of planning and data needs section presents planning issues, the planning projects that will address these issues, and the associated information requirements for planning, such as resource inventories and data collection, including GIS data.

There are three sections in the assessment of planning and data needs:

1. analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values

2. identification of key issues and associated planning and data needs

3. identification of planning and data needs (including spatial mapping activities or GIS maps)

The analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values and identification of key issues leads up to and supports the identification of planning and data collection needs.

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Foundation Document

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and ValuesThe fundamental resource and value analysis table includes current condition, potential threats and opportunities, planning and data needs, and selected laws and NPS policies related to management of the identified resource or value.

Fundamental Resource or Value

Recreation and Renewal

Related Significance Statements

• Through the protection of Quantico Creek watershed, Prince William Forest Park provides outstanding opportunities for education and scientific study

• Prince William Forest Park was the model for the recreational demonstration area program, a New Deal-era initiative that built parks for the nation’s urban youth and families

• During a time of racial segregation, Prince William Forest Park was the first recreational demonstration area in the southern states to provide opportunities for African Americans to connect with the outdoors through cabin camping opportunities

• Prince William Forest Park protects the longest intact section of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail found within the national park system

• Prince William Forest Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and solitude within one of the most densely populated regions in the United States

Antique fire engine during Heritage Days event (NPS photo)


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Current Conditions and Trends

Conditions

• Shallow water and aquatic vegetation in the lakes provide poor conditions for swimming

• Trails are in fair to good condition across the park

• There are limited fishing opportunities throughout the park

• Many cabin camps are used by repeat visitors

• Local and non-local user groups recreate in the park

• The park receives significant repeat visitation from bicyclists and other outdoor recreation groups

• The U S Route 1 corridor has been improved for access from Dumfries and Triangle

Trends

• Demand has increased for backcountry campfires

• Larger groups have been using park trails for organized events and have created demand for gathering areas such as campsites and picnic areas

• New pavement on the scenic drive has contributed to the increased popularity of road biking within the park among individuals and groups

• The proposed new access point along Virginia State Route 234 could provide easier park access from the north, possibly increasing visitation The trail system could reach full carrying capacity with the possibility of increased usage

• There is a growing demand for new recreational options, including horseback riding, trout fishing, and single-track mountain biking

• Cabin camps do not have sufficient parking, which has led to unauthorized parking on roadsides and other associated problems

• There has been increasing pressure for nontraditional camping opportunities, such as using hammocks in the backcountry area and campgrounds

• The recreational vehicle (RV) concessionaire is increasing the size of some RV camping sites and adding utilities, which may bring campground use closer to capacity

• Cabin rentals are shifting from long-term to weekend rentals for special events

Reflection opportunity (NPS photo)

Foundation Document

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Threats and Opportunities

Threats

• Social trails are created throughout the park damaging resources and causing erosion

• Improved pavement conditions have made it easier for bicyclists to ride at a faster rate of speed, posing a threat to themselves as well as to wildlife

• Flooding and tree-felling by beavers threaten the trail network

• Decreased funding for trail maintenance affects the ability to mitigate threats such as erosion

• Commuters have been parking in the parking lot along Virginia State Route 234, adding additional strain on the park transportation infrastructure

• Car break-ins and vandalism at the north end of the park endanger visitors and the visitor experience

• There is a lack of fee enforcement at the north end of the park

• A new entrance at Virginia State Route 234 may introduce additional invasive plants into the park

• Pests and invasive species persist throughout the park and in adjacent communities

• There is an increased potential for fire ignited by backcountry users

• The wastewater system is in poor condition and at capacity throughout all cabin, tent, and RV camps

• Marine Corps Base Quantico impacts the natural soundscape, threatening opportunities for quiet and solitude within the park, particularly in the backcountry area

Opportunities

• Increased population growth adjacent to the park provides greater demand for connections to nearby communities

• The park offers diverse recreation opportunities and a potential new park entrance at Virginia State Route 234 can provide health and fitness benefits to nearby communities and the region

• The new entrance along Virginia State Route 234 may bring in more fees

• The new entrance along Virginia State Route 234 may increase park visibility, increasing community awareness of opportunities for recreation and renewal within the park This could be further enhanced through signage and interpretation at this entrance

• The increasing demand from new recreation users presents an opportunity to introduce the park to more people

• There are opportunities to encourage use by nontraditional users, including wedding parties and other groups Certain park facilities could be leased to these groups

• Through increased connections to communities, the park can target nontraditional users for camping, including urban youth and disadvantaged populations

• Better availability of swimming opportunities and small-craft boating could bring more visitors into the park and introduce them to other opportunities for recreation and renewal

• Increased park visibility may help with recruiting more volunteers


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Data and/or GIS Needs• Visitor use survey/study

• Engineer reports to better understand carrying capacity of sewage infrastructure

Planning Needs

• Trail management plan

• Commercial services plan

• Visitor use management plan that holistically considers park recreation opportunities

Laws and Policies That Apply to the FRV, and NPS Policy-level Guidance

• Laws and Policies That Apply to the FRV

• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968

• Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards

• Draft Final Accessibility Guidelines for Outdoor Developed Areas

NPS Policy-level Guidance

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (8 1 and 8 2) outlines appropriate visitor uses on NPS lands, including guidelines for recreational activities, fees, and safety considerations

• NPS A Call to Action (Action 5) – Parks for People encourages parks to connect to densely populated, diverse communities to parks, greenways, trails, and waterways to improve close-to-home recreation

• Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service Programs and Services is intended to develop a systemwide approach to achieving the highest level of accessibility that is reasonable with the legal mandates of conservation and protection of resources; it specifically discusses training for park and recreation professionals on effective ways to provide equal opportunity for citizens with disabilities to enjoy outdoor recreation opportunities


Natural Landscape


• Prince William Forest Park is home to the largest Eastern Piedmont forest in the United States

• Through the protection of Quantico Creek watershed, Prince William Forest Park provides outstanding opportunities for education and scientific study

• Prince William Forest Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and solitude within one of the most densely populated regions in the United States


Conditions

• The watershed, which is largely protected by the park and the Marine Corps Base Quantico, is healthy

• Lack of topsoil and erosion impacts water quality

• Lakes have significant sediment deposition

• Deer are impacting the forest throughout the park

Trends

• Deer populations have been slowly increasing, which poses a threat to vegetation

• Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease has threatened deer populations

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Natural Landscape


Threats

• Gypsy moths and other nonnative pests threaten trees and the park ecosystem

• Human-caused fires pose a threat to historic resources as well as to the forest

• Invasive and nonnative species negatively impact forest integrity and ecosystems

• Pressure from adjacent development impacts wildlife and the natural systems in the park

• The park boundary is being encroached by incompatible uses and visual intrusions

• Social trails can lead to soil erosion and resource impacts

• Because of its proximity to larger urban areas, illegal dumping occurs in the park

• Illegal hunting and poaching threaten wildlife in the park

• The Trash Free Park initiative has created problems with litter in some areas of the park

• Climate change may alter biodiversity and cause stream flooding/erosion

• There is reduced funding for acquiring lands from willing sellers within the administrative boundary and disposing of unneeded structures

• Demands from new user groups for expanded programs create strain on personnel, existing infrastructure, and natural resources

• Suppression of natural disturbance regimes is leading to changes in forest composition

Opportunities

• The Trash Free Park initiative could create opportunities for more effective waste management

• The park could do more outreach to landowners about resource stewardship on lands near and adjacent to the park

• A natural area in an urban context has a lot of appeal

• The park provides a vegetated island for the surrounding community

• There are opportunities for partnerships with organizations that promote outdoor education, such as NatureBridge or the Alice Ferguson Foundation (Bridging the Watershed)

• A partnership/agreement coordinator would aid in reaching out to groups with missions that connect people to nature and the outdoors

Data and/or GIS Needs• Boundary surveys

• Baseline total maximum daily load data

Planning Needs

• Ungulate/deer management plan

• Wild boar plan

• Prescribed burn plan

• Trail management plan (including accessibility and design needs)

• Resource stewardship strategy

• State of the park report


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Natural Landscape


Laws and Policies That Apply to the FRV

• Clean Air Act

• Clean Water Act

• Endangered Species Act of 1973

• Executive Order 13508, “Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration” (May 12, 2009)


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (4 1, 4 4, 4 5, 4 6, 4 7, 4 8, 4 9, 4 10) provides guidelines for the effective management of natural resources, including biological, water, air, and geological resources; soundscapes; and lightscapes It also discusses guidance for fire management


Recreational Demonstration Area Legacy


• Prince William Forest Park contains the largest concentration of Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration structures in the United States

• Prince William Forest Park was the model for the recreational demonstration area program, a New Deal-era initiative that built parks for the nation’s urban youth and families



Conditions

• The social agencies that once brought groups to the park for camping experiences no longer operate in this capacity in the park

• The recreational demonstration area program no longer exists

• The program and its legacy are not well known or appreciated within the National Park Service or by the general public

• The park still serves a diverse visitor demographic and provides multiple recreational opportunities

Trends

• Through the NPS A Call to Action, action item 25, “What’s Old is New,” the agency illustrates its dedication to the modernization of historic structures and the sustainable use of these structures, such as those built while Prince William Forest Park was a recreational demonstration area

• There is a varying interest in outdoor activities, and there has been an increase among other forms of recreation

• It has become increasingly complex to balance the needs of stakeholders while working with different local municipal and county governments due to complex political considerations

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Recreational Demonstration Area Legacy


Threats

• Visitor use of historic structures and resources presents a challenge for ongoing maintenance and repair of historic structures

• The aging population of individuals associated with the New Deal and loss of oral history associated with the CCC and WPA programs poses a threat to a direct connection to this legacy

• The location of many historic archives, data, and records associated with the recreational demonstration area and New Deal-era programs in various repositories make conducting research a challenge

• Competition for outdoor experiences is increasing

• The lack of up-to-date features in historic structures poses a challenge for some groups and presents a threat to public health and safety

Opportunities

• There is an opportunity for the park to tie back into the recreational demonstration area ideals and vision

• Changing the name of the park would reconnect it to its history as Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area

• There are opportunities for the park to form partnerships that build upon the recreational demonstration area concept, such as with NatureBridge

• Create a focus group for park name change

Data and/or GIS Needs

• Create ethnographic overview and assessment that will include the RDA program participants and other New Deal-era programs

• Research all aspects of the recreational demonstration area program including resettlement, employment, and recreation

• Conduct a servicewide recreational demonstration area historic resource study

• Conduct a survey/inventory of recreational demonstration area archival records

Planning Needs

• Partnership/agreement plan


• Marketing plan

• Visitor use management plan

• Commercial services plan



• Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act

• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties


• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management calls for the National Park Service to preserve cultural resources for the enjoyment of present and future generations, further emphasizing that decisions and activities regarding these resources must reflect awareness of their irreplaceable nature

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5 4) requires that historic and prehistoric structures are treated based on sound preservation practice to enable their long-term preservation


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Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area Landscape


• Prince William Forest Park is home to the largest Eastern Piedmont forest in the United States

• Prince William Forest Park contains the largest concentration of Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration structures in the national park system

• Prince William Forest Park was the model for the Recreational Demonstration Area program, a New Deal-era initiative that built parks for the nation’s urban youth and families


• Prince William Forest Park provides diverse recreational opportunities and solitude within one of the most densely populated regions of the United States


Conditions

• Structures associated with this landscape represent a range of conditions from poor to good

• Cabin camps 1 and 5 contain nonhistoric buildings and facilities

• Utility lines in the park are in fair condition

• Sewer lines and other park infrastructure are aging

• The cabin camps are historic, and many structures and sites contribute to the Prince William Forest Park Historic District, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places

• Lakes are shut down during E. coli spikes, which typically happen following rainstorms

• There are no septic fields in cabin camps 1 and 4

• Dams associated with this landscape are in fair condition overall

• Water towers associated with this landscape are stabilized

• Certain structures and infrastructure are past their expected life cycle for use

Trends

• Erosion issues affect historic structures and landscapes

• Most historic structures are regularly in use by visitors

• Declining budget and limited staff has affected cyclic, corrective, preventative, and operational maintenance programs

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Threats

• Constant use by the public puts stress as well as wear and tear on the historic structures and their infrastructure network

• Vandalism, graffiti, and misuse threaten historic structures

• Wildland fire and associated hazardous fuels surrounding the cabin camps pose a threat to the structures

• Structural fire caused by careless users also poses a threat

• Siltation is an issue facing dam safety as well as the concerns listed below:

• Carter’s Pond Dam has an inadequate spillway and the spillway is nonoperational The dam requires rehabilitation

• Camp 1 sluicegate is dangerous to access

• Camp 3 dam sluicegate is nonoperational Sediment fills in the headway area, which may cause dam overflow during heavy storm events and flooding of the access road

• Camp 4 dam sluicegate is difficult to access

• Camp 5 dam has problems with sedimentation

• Shrinking budget and lack of financial resources impacts cabin camp maintenance

• Termites, carpenter bees, and other pests damage historic structures in the cabin camps

• Water infiltration and building envelope failure destroys historic fabric and damages the integrity of historic structures

• Soil compaction in and around the cabin camps makes it difficult to plant grass, which compounds issues of soil erosion and impacts the historic setting of the cultural landscape

• Oral histories are lost with the aging CCC / New Deal-era generation, which impacts ethnographic resources and our understanding of the Chopawamsic cultural landscape

Opportunities

• The park offers a unique opportunity for visitors to camp inside historic structures

• There are many opportunities for education and outreach about the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area

• Green technologies such as sustainable shingles present an opportunity to educate the public about the relationship between historic preservation, environmental stewardship, and sustainable practices

• There are opportunities to improve Architectural Barriers Act accessibility to these resources

• Controls for storm runoff and sewer lines in cabin camps could address erosion challenges

• Cabin camps used to be wooded but have since become fields to balance the fire issues Reforestation could help with erosion issues, and would restore the cultural landscape to its historic setting

• There are opportunities to use “harvested” native materials for structure rehabilitation


25




• Identify and collect data on the causes of E. coli spikes

• Cultural landscapes inventories for cabin camps 2–5

• Ethnographic overview/study of the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area

• Design needs for dam upgrades/repair (i e , trail at Carter’s pond)

Planning Needs

• Design guidelines / treatment recommendations for cabin camps

• Cabin camp management plan






• Architectural Barriers Act of 1968

• Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards



• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management calls for the National Park Service to preserve cultural resource for the enjoyment of present and future generations, further emphasizing that decisions and activities regarding these resources must reflect awareness of their irreplaceable nature

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5 2) requires that cultural landscapes will preserve significant attributes, biotic systems, and uses when those uses contribute to historical significance Treatment will be based on sound preservation practices to enable long-term preservation of a resource’s historic features, qualities, and materials


Fall colors (NPS photo)

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Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values

Other Important Resource or Value

Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail


Conditions

• The remains of the trail are well preserved

• The trail is currently not being used as a trail

• The trail runs near the park boundary

• Some portions of the trail outside of the park have been adversely affected by development

• Volunteers worked to preserve sections of the trail through trash and tree removal

Trends

• There is increasing national and regional recognition of the trail

• There is increased interest in expanded partnerships to further develop the trail

• If the trail were to be formally developed into a recreation resource, maintenance and interpretation costs would probably increase

• There is increasing awareness of the trail


Threats

• Four wheeling / all-terrain vehicle use could lead to erosion and impact archeological resources associated with the route

• Erosion

• Relic hunting

Opportunities

• Opportunity to partner with the National Museum of the Marine Corps and local communities to develop the trail

• Developing the trail could provide nonvehicular connections to Dumfries and Triangle

• Developing the trail would improve recreational connections to the park and direct community access to the visitor center

• Interpretation of historic aspect of the route


• Cultural landscape inventory or cultural landscape report for the trail describing appropriate treatments and conditions

• Phase I and II archeological surveys

Planning Needs

• Trail management plan

• Marketing plan

• NEPA compliance / construction / engineering plan


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Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail

Laws and Policies That Apply to the OIRV, and NPS Policy-level Guidance

Laws and Policies That Apply to the OIRV




• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5) provides guidance for the treatment of cultural resources

• NPS Management Policies 2006 (9 2 2) provides guidance for the management of trails and walks


Water Quality of the Quantico Creek Watershed


Conditions

• Acid drainage from the pyrite mine has been partially mitigated

• Low pH is still an issue below the mine

• Herring and shad swim up to just below the confluence of South Fork and Quantico Creeks

• American eel and sponge are found in the park due to high water quality in the watershed

Trends

• Plantings and vegetative buffers at the pyrite mine have improved water quality

• Timber harvesting is conducted at Marine Corps Base Quantico, which can lead to increased sedimentation and decreasing water quality

South Fork Quantico Creek in winter (NPS photo)

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Threats

· Increased development upstream negatively affects water quality.

· Continued undercutting impacts streambeds.

· Gabions placed in the stream affect natural stream flow.

· Erosion is an issue near Virginia State Route 619.

· Erosion and siltation result from increased development.

· Impervious surfaces diminish water quality.

· Dams increase flows of warm water and cause temperature fluctuations.

· Dams present a threat to water quality and create a physical barrier for fish.

· Open wells can introduce contaminants to watershed.

· Climate change impacts water quality parameters.

Opportunities

• Additional water quality research could enhance the park’s understanding of the watershed

• The park could work with local school groups to develop meaningful watershed educational experiences

• Work with Marine Corps Base Quantico on mitigation and protection of water, which could help influence logging practices

• Work with neighbors to preserve water quality

• Reach out to local governments to increase awareness of construction practices

• Work with the Virginia Department of Transportation on the review process for I-95 expansion project

• Clean up the lakes

• Fish and eel ladders would allow instream migration for many species but may also increase the spread of invasive species

• Use “citizen science” to engage the public in monitoring water quality

• Close wells and decommission pump houses

• Develop partnership with Friends of Quantico Bay


• Baseline total maximum daily load information to determine erosion and sedimentation in streams

• Best practices for water quality management

• Effects of climate change on water diversity

• Impact assessment to understand effects of dams

Planning Needs

• Plan to protect and repair riparian buffers

• Trail management plan (addresses sedimentation in streams)


• State of the park report


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• Clean Water Act

• Executive Order 13508, “Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration” (May 12, 2009)


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (4 6 3) discusses the maintenance of water quality within the National Park Service, with specific guidance to avoid the pollution of park waters by human activities within and outside park boundaries


Threatened and Endangered Species


Conditions

• Small whorled pogonia populations are declining

• No information on state-listed species

Trends

• No trend identified


Threats

• Unauthorized visitor use threatens sensitive habitat areas

• Increasing deer populations stress habitat for threatened and endangered species

• Invasive species may outcompete species within the native ecosystems that sustain rare, threatened, and endangered species

• Rare, threatened, and endangered species may not be able to adapt to climate change

• Decreasing funding for habitat improvements

Opportunities

• Provide additional interpretation of threatened and endangered species

• Initiate habitat restoration projects as funding allows

• Conduct scientific research to determine whether greenhouses may be used to help bolster threatened and endangered plant populations

• Seek partnerships with Fort A P Hill, which manages Isotria mediolides.


• Survey for White-nosed syndrome in bat populations

• Comprehensive surveys of state-listed species, including location and species vulnerability and habitat quality assessments

Planning Needs

• Vegetation management plan

• Deer management plan

• Climate change scenario plan

• Species of concern management plan

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Threatened and Endangered Species



• Endangered Species Act of 1973


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (4 4 2 3) requires that the National Park Service surveys for, protects, and strives to recover all threatened and endangered species native to national park system units


Office of Strategic Services Landscape


Conditions

• Many structures were built for OSS training but eventually were removed following World War II

• The presence of the Office of Strategic Services in the park resulted in some environmental contamination that continues to be remediated

• Materials / historic fabric associated with the OSS time period is deteriorating (reference cabin camps)

• The OSS Theater has been stabilized

• The OSS cultural landscape is largely reforested or reclaimed

• The OSS cultural landscape is dispersed beyond the park boundaries

Trends

• The OSS Society continues to celebrate OSS accomplishments in the park

• The proposed creation of a national OSS museum has increased interest in OSS resources in the park

• Though many documents pertaining to this period have been declassified, lack of staff or funds limit ability to examine these records

• As records become declassified, there is increased interest in the OSS legacy

Close up of an autumn leaf (NPS photo)


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Threats

• Unexploded ordnance can be found in some areas of the park

• Aging populations result in the loss of oral histories associated with the OSS activities in the park

• Some OSS resources are also RDA/CCC resources and present challenges to preservation related to conflicting periods of significance

• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) issues threaten museum collections and storage of objects associated with the Office of Strategic Services

• Relic hunting and metal detecting in the park pose a threat to undiscovered OSS object and artifacts

• Vandalism, graffiti, and misuse threaten historic structures

• Unsupervised access to collections may negatively impact the resources

• Park lacks access to OSS resources located at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

Opportunities

• OSS training movies provide a wealth of historic information and are a powerful interpretive tool

• A number of potential partners exist, including the OSS Society, the National OSS Museum, the International Spy Museum, the Cold War Museum, military museums, the Central Intelligence Agency, Marine Base Quantico, other parks, etc

• There is increased public interest in the OSS legacy

• The adaptive reuse and leasing of the OSS Theater building presents a possible revenue and/or partnership opportunity for the park

• Records are being declassified, providing more information and history on OSS activities in the park

• CIA collections are becoming more available through access to museums, but the agency is not loaning objects

• External collectors of OSS materials are more willing to share information


• Landscape historic structures report

• Cultural landscape inventory

• Ethnographic overview/study

• National archives photo and records research and inventory of OSS related materials and resources

• Develop reference materials / bibliography of OSS resources

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Planning Needs

• Collections management plan

• Updated long-range interpretive plan


• Cabin camp management/treatment plan

• Museum scope of collections

• Digital cinema package for OSS Theater collections

• Intellectual property rights from Dr John Chambers’ OSS study

• Oss Theater development concept plan

• Cultural landscape report



• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for declassified records









Museum Collections


Conditions

• The on-site collections storage space is inadequate and does not provide for the proper protection of museum collections

• Museum collections are stored on-site as well as off-site at the Museum Resource Center (MRCE) facility

• The condition of museum collections range from poor to good

Trends

• There are internal and external research requests for use of the museum collections and archives

• The museum inventory provides annual data on the collection

• Oral histories are being placed online in digital format


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Museum Collections


Threats

• Regular visitation to the park’s museum collections held at the MRCE facility is difficult due to distance and lack of staff time

• Issues exist with the museum collection cataloging software

• There is a lack of funding and limited staff time available for museum collections stewardship and documentation

• There is a lack of storage space for the renovation of collections storage facilities, which impacts the ability to accept the donation of materials and objects

• The current fire detection and intrusion systems are inadequate for the proper protection of the museum collections

Opportunities

• The Heritage Festival raises awareness and public interest in the park’s museum collections

• New parkwide exhibits would allow for the display of more museum objects and improve public access to the collections

• Expanding the online presence of the museum collections would increase access to this resource

• Expanding the collections to include materials such as oral histories, archival materials, etc would support interpretation and improve the overall visitor understanding and appreciation of all park resources

• The park could explore the opportunity to expand strategies to encourage donations to the museum collections

Data and/or GIS Needs • Collection condition survey

Planning Needs

• Collections management plan

• Museum disaster plan

• Collection storage plan

• Museum scope of collections

• Exhibit plan

• Museum integrated pest management plan

• PMIS project for storage building renovations



• Museum Properties Management Act of 1955


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5 5) requires the National Park Service to collect, protect, preserve, provide access to, and use objects, specimens, and archival and manuscript collection to aid understanding among park visitors, and to advance knowledge in the humanities and sciences

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Archeological Resources


Conditions

• Archeological resources range in condition from poor to good, with a majority in good condition

• Baseline data on archeological resources were collected from 1999 to 2003, resulting in a two-volume final report that was produced in 2004

• Benign neglect has resulted from the lack of a preservation or protection plan for archeological resources, particularly at home sites and cemeteries

Trends

• More archeological sites and resources have been discovered in recent years, but not since Fiscal Year 2010

• The monitoring, protection, and assessment of archeological resources are ongoing at the park


Threats

• Relic hunting and metal detecting present a threat to the integrity of archeological resources at the park

• Vandalism of resources also occurs

• Soil erosion can lead to the exposure of archeological resources and result in the loss of archeological record

• Climate change resulting in severe storm events can lead to ground disturbance, which impacts archeological resources

• The nature of archeological resources makes them subject to inadvertent finds and damage caused accidentally

• Vegetation growth and root systems disturb archeological resources

• Visitor use can lead to soil compaction and impacts on these resources in high-use public areas

Opportunities

• Interpretative programs and exhibits provide an opportunity to educate the public about the importance and stewardship of archeological resources

• Wayside signs and exhibits can better connect visitors to archeological resources and help in their protection, but their placement should be carefully evaluated by the National Capital Region’s Regional Archeology Program to avoid looting or vandalism

• Archeological resources present research opportunities and the development of potential partnerships with academic institutions

• Compliance-based archeological research provides funding opportunities for additional archeological research and surveys

Data and/or GIS Needs • No data needs were identified

Planning Needs• Visitor use management plan

• Cabin camp management plan


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Two enrollees ready for roll call (NPS photo)

Learning to fix a flat tire (NPS photo)


Archeological Resources



• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

• 36 CFR 79: Curation of Federally Owned and Administered Archeological Collection

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeological Documentation


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5 1) calls for the National Park Service to manage archeological resources in situ, unless removal or physical disturbance is justified by research, consultation, preservation, protection, or interpretive requirements

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Other Cultural Landscapes


Conditions

• Cultural landscapes, other than the five main cabin camps, include: Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine and Bridge, The Poor House, 46 known cemeteries, the Greenwood Gold Mine, American Indian camp sites, Civil War skirmish sites, historic road traces

• A number of historic settlements are also considered cultural landscapes and include: Hickory Ridge, Batestown, and Joplin

• The integrity of these landscapes range from having intact structures to ruins to archeological sites

• Some of the 46 known cemeteries are still active with family plots and have strong local family connections

• Descendants associated with family home sites show varying interest in these locations

• The Patawomeck tribe recently became state-recognized in Virginia (2010) There may be a contemporary association of this tribe to the park, but that is currently unknown

Trends

• Public interest in the cemeteries is increasing

• Adopt-A-Cemetery program is being developed by the park staff with interested stakeholders


Threats

• The mixed resources that make up these landscapes make their ongoing stewardship challenging

• Because of their remote nature, cemeteries are subject to vandalism

• Access to home sites is not monitored or restricted

• The loss of oral histories, photographs, and potential museum collections materials is a threat to park cultural landscapes

Opportunities

• Witness trees are an important way of connecting to these remnant cultural landscapes that existed before the CCC era and there are opportunities to better understand this resource through a formal survey of existing witness trees

• Collecting oral histories and ethnographic accounts of these landscapes would improve understanding and interpretation of these resources as well as build consultation relationships with associated groups

• There may be an opportunity to develop consultation relationships with the Patawomeck tribe if contemporary associations with park resources are identified


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Other Cultural Landscapes


• Additional survey and research of these other cultural landscapes is needed

• Cultural landscape inventories for Joplin, Hickory Ridge, and cabin camps 2 through 5

• Historic resource study for Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine and Poor House

• Systematic survey of witness trees

• Ethnographic overview and assessment

• Tract and deed research for cemeteries and home sites

• Ground-penetrating radar to verify grave locations and identify previously unknown graves

Planning Needs

• Cemetery management plan

• Wayside plan

• Ethnographic overview and assessment



• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979



• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes


• NPS Management Policies 2006 (5 3 5 1) calls for the National Park Service to manage archeological resources in situ, unless removal or physical disturbance is justified by research, consultation, preservation, protection, or interpretive requirements




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Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data NeedsThis section considers key issues to be addressed in planning and management, and therefore takes a broader view over the primary focus of part 1. A key issue focuses on a question that is important for a park. Key issues often raise questions regarding park purpose and significance, and fundamental and other important resources and values. For example, a key issue may pertain to the potential for a fundamental or other important resource or value in a park to be detrimentally affected by discretionary management decisions. A key issue may also address crucial questions not directly related to purpose and significance, but still indirectly affects them. Usually a key issue is one that a future planning effort or data collection needs to address and requires a decision by NPS managers.

The following are key issues for Prince William Forest Park and the associated planning and data needs to address them:

· National Park Identity. The name “Prince William Forest Park” does not clearly indicate to the public and stakeholders that the park is managed by the National Park Service and carries with it all the laws, policies, and protections afforded to units of the national park system. In addition to being misleading, the lack of recognition as a national park unit may lead to lower visitation than if the park had a name more clearly associated with the National Park Service. More social science research is needed to understand the visitor and community perceptions of the park resulting from its name as well as the potential for increased visitation if the name were to be changed to something more traditionally associated with a national park unit.

One of many CCC ball teams (NPS photo)


39

· Park Access and Connectivity. The existing transportation system both to and within the park may have a negative impact on visitation levels and the visitor experience once inside the park. Because the park was designed and built during a time of segregation, cabin camps 1, 2, 4, and 5 cannot be accessed from the main visitor entrance road. This provides visitors entering through the main entrance with exposure to the park that is limited to the resources accessed from the main entrance road. The park is also considering a new access point on the northwest side of the park off of Virginia State Route 234 to better accommodate the recreational needs of the communities on that side of the park. More information is needed to better understand how signage, traffic flow, and public transportation have an impact on the visitor experience, and what actions could be taken to improve that experience.

· Regional Growth and Development. Regional growth and development in the communities surrounding the park and at the Marine Corps Base Quantico pose both opportunities and challenges to park managers. While this growth may bring additional resource management concerns—such as increased impervious surfaces, decreasing water quality, increasing invasive species, and boundary encroachment—it also may increase visitation and provide additional opportunities to connect people with the outdoors. In order to respond to development directly adjacent to the park boundary, the park needs a land protection plan and boundary survey to be in a position to make smart and strategic land purchases within the administrative boundary.

· Cyclic Maintenance. Revenues from cabin camps, tent and group campgrounds, the recreational vehicle campground concessionaire, and special use permits are an important source of income for the park. These fees assist the park in continuing to provide the maintenance needed to keep these resources, particularly the historic cabin camps, in good condition and open for public use. In order to ensure these fees and revenues are equitable and consistent with the purpose of the park, a commercial services plan and associated study of the fee structure is needed to provide clear direction in the future.

Planning and Data NeedsTo maintain connection to the core elements of the foundation, and the importance of these core foundation elements, the planning and data needs listed here are directly related to protecting fundamental resources and values, park significance, and park purpose, as well as addressing key issues. To successfully undertake a planning effort, information from sources such as inventories, studies, research activities, and analyses may be required to provide adequate knowledge of park resources and visitor information. Such information sources have been identified as data needs. Geospatial mapping tasks and products are included in data needs.

Items considered of the utmost importance were identified as high priority, and other items identified, but not rising to the level of high priority, were listed as either medium- or low-priority needs. These priorities inform park management’s efforts to secure funding and support for planning projects.

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Foundation Document

Data Needs – Where Information Is Needed Before Decisions Can Be Made

Data NeedPriority (H, M, L)

Rationale

Comprehensive park boundary surveys

H

Only 25% of the park’s boundary has been formally surveyed Issues of encroachment from park neighbors, continued regional growth, and the outside influences on park resources contribute to the need for a complete survey of the park boundary This survey would inform all future planning efforts and management actions

Ethnographic overview and assessment

H

Multiple ethnographic overviews and studies were identified during the analysis of data needs, including baseline documents needed in an ethnographic overview and assessment Key topics for these studies include: the Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration, local communities, cabin camp groups, social welfare groups, the Office of Strategic Services, and potential contemporary tribal associations These studies would inform the cabin camp management/treatment plan, plans related to the Office of Strategic Services, plans related to museum collections, the cemetery management plan, and the comprehensive interpretive plan

Historic resource study of recreational demonstration area history and related resources

H

Comprehensive research into the recreational demonstration area would focus on all aspects of this New Deal-era program including resettlement, employment, the Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration, and other social welfare programs Emphasis would be given to the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area This study would inform the cabin camp management/treatment plan and any other planning efforts related to the recreational demonstration area

Office of Strategic Services historic structures report

H

A historic structures report would provide research and baseline data on the historic use of structures during the Office of Strategic Services time period at the park This inventory would inform plans related to the Office of Strategic Services

Office of Strategic Services cultural landscape inventory

H

A cultural landscape inventory would survey and document resources in the park that are associated with the Office of Strategic Services time period This inventory would inform plans related to the Office of Strategic Services

Museum documents H

These documents include data on the museum collections-related issues including: fire, security, flood prevention, and integrated pest management This effort would support a collections management plan This documentation would inform plans related to museum collections

Study of national park branding related to tourism / economic development

H

Prince William Forest Park is exploring the possibility of a possible name change to reflect its historic creation as the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area as well as its status as a unit of the national park system This study would provide data on the possible economic benefits of such a name change This study would also inform the marketing plan and commercial services plan

Special use / fee study H

Currently, the park rents out the camp cabins through a special use permit and fee This study would provide guidance on appropriate pricing and recovery costs to offset maintenance and staffing costs This study would inform the visitor use management plan, cabin camps management/treatment plan, and the commercial services plan


41



Rationale

Visitor use data on park in relationship to the surrounding community

H

Prince William Forest Park is exploring the possibility of a possible name change to reflect its historic creation as the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Area as well as its status as a unit of the national park system This social science study would provide data on public perceptions of the park and its position within the surrounding community These data would inform the visitor use management plan

Visitor user survey/study H

A visitor use survey was last conducted in 2004 and needs to be updated Given the high volume of recreational use, such a survey would help the park better understand their diverse user groups and their needs The study would help determine appropriate visitor capacities at park sites The study would also help determine appropriate visitor capacities at park sites, through the visitor use management plan

Conditions of species of concern

H

A survey and assessment on the condition of species of concern within the park would lead to more informed management decisions regarding these species This would inform the species of concern management plan

Architecture and engineering survey for the north entrance

H

The data produced during this survey/study would provide guidance for the development and integration of the park’s north entrance into the overall visitor experience at the park It would also address connectivity issues with the communities around the park and would inform the long-range transportation plan

Engineering survey of the park’s major infrastructure

M

This survey would provide technical expertise on the design of infrastructure systems and their carrying capacity The data would aid in the design and repair of infrastructure within the park and help park management in making decisions about major infrastructural issues This would also inform the long-range transportation plan

Design needs for dam upgrades/repair

M

This would include an assessment of dam condition throughout the park, as well as accompanying drawings for any upgrades or repairs It is required by law under Director’s Order 40: Dam Safety and Security Program.

Phase I and II archeological reports for the section of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail

M

Generating these baseline data would be an important first step in the management and stewardship of the Washington-Rochambeau route as a resource within the park Such a study could influence future data and planning needs such as a cultural landscape inventory or cultural landscape report

Baseline data for total maximum daily load of the Quantico Creek watershed

M

These data would aid the park in the better management of water quality in the Quantico Creek watershed and provide a better understanding of erosion and sedimentation into streams within the park The data would influence decisions regarding appropriate storm water facilities as well as regional planning efforts for the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Study on the effects of climate change on aquatic species diversity

MSuch a study would aid the park staff in better understanding the overall impacts of climate change on the health of the Quantico Creek watershed and how it is impacting species diversity in the region

National park servicewide study and survey of recreational demonstration area resources

M

A servicewide survey of related recreational demonstration area resources would help forge partnerships between park units, and aid in the interpretation of the larger story of this New Deal-era program’s relationship to the National Park Service This would inform the comprehensive interpretive plan

Foundation Document

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Rationale

Cultural landscape inventory for the former home sites and associated cemeteries

M

A cultural landscape inventory records the landscape’s location, historic development, existing conditions and management information These baseline data will inform the cemetary management plan, management decisions, as well as interpretive programming (The region has prioritized various cultural landscaped inventory efforts; this needs follow-up with the park and regional offices )

Cultural landscape inventory for the Poor House and associated cemetery

M

A cultural landscape inventory records the landscape’s location, historic development, existing conditions and management information These baseline data will inform the cemetary management plan, management decisions, as well as interpretive programming (The region has prioritized various cultural landscaped inventory efforts; this needs follow-up with the park and regional offices )

Cultural landscape inventory for the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine

M

A cultural landscape inventory records the landscape’s location, historic development, existing conditions, and management information These baseline data will inform management decisions as well as interpretive programming (The region has prioritized various cultural landscaped inventory efforts; this needs follow-up with the park and regional offices )

Cultural landscape inventory for the Taylor Farms

M

A cultural landscape inventory records the landscape’s location, historic development, existing conditions and management information These baseline data will inform management decisions as well as interpretive programming (The region has prioritized various cultural landscaped inventory efforts; this needs follow-up with the park and regional offices )

Cultural landscape inventory for the cabin camps

M

A cultural landscape inventory records the landscape’s location, historic development, existing conditions and management information These baseline data will inform management decisions as well as interpretive programming (The region has prioritized various cultural landscaped inventory efforts; this needs follow-up with the park and regional offices )

Impact assessment of water quality as it relates to dams

LThis assessment would provide insights into the effects of the park’s many historic dams on overall water quality in the Quantico Creek watershed

Ground-penetrating radar for grave locations

LGround-penetrating radar would be used to verify grave locations and identify previously unknown graves in the park These resources are presently unknown, and this is a noninvasive approach to identify them

Historic resource study for Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine and Poor House

LThis study of these home sites would help inform, expand, and support an ethnographic overview and assessment

Survey of witness trees LA formal survey of witness trees throughout the park would be the first step in their protection and help in the understanding of the layers of history found throughout the park

Tract and deed research for known cemeteries and home sites

LThis documentation would aid the park in better stewardship of these resources as well as help better engage descendant groups associated with these resources

Alternative transportation feasibility study

L

This study could help the park better understand how visitors access the park, and explore opportunities to better integrate into regional transportation systems This would inform the long-range transportation plan

Collection condition survey L This survey would periodically assess the condition of the collections


43

Planning Needs – Where A Decision-making Process Is Needed

Related to an FRV or OIRV?

Planning NeedsPriority (H, M, L)

Notes

X Visitor use management plan H

A visitor use management plan is needed to prescribe appropriate types and levels of recreational use in the park The plan would identify appropriate visitor opportunities, assess existing visitor use characteristics and patterns, enhance opportunities for the park’s key visitor experiences, reduce conflicts between different user groups or between visitors and wildlife, minimize impacts to resources and visitor experiences caused by visitor use, and manage visitor demand at popular destinations

XCabin camp management/treatment plan

H

The plan would prescribe appropriate types and levels of use as well as design guidelines and appropriate treatments for the cabin camps This plan may also include management and treatment of the campgrounds; otherwise the campgrounds may be addressed in a separate planning effort at a lower priority

X Prescribed burn plan HThis plan is already in development with the region and is needed to address hazardous fuels within the park

X Trail management plan H

A trail management plan is needed to provide guidance for trail rehabilitation, run-off mitigation, and the construction of new trails in the park, including the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail

X Resource stewardship strategy HThis plan would allow the park to better define desired future resource conditions and develop a comprehensive strategy to reach those desired conditions

X State of the park report HA state of the park report provides a current snapshot of resource conditions within the park

X Collections management plan HA management plan is needed to identify the park’s preferred strategies for the care of collections with concern for their long term physical well-being and safety

XOffice of Strategic Services Theater development concept plan

H

Planning and associated compliance is needed to determine the types of uses that are appropriate for the theater building and the types of improvements that may be necessary to allow for those uses This plan would also define a permitting process for uses as well as the types of exhibits that would facilitate education and interpretation of the resource

X Wayside plan H

A wayside plan would assist the park in identifying the location and content of new and existing wayside interpretive panels and signage within the park Direction is needed particularly for the interpretation of home sites and Taylor Farms

XOffice of Strategic Services cultural landscape report

M

This report would provide guidance for the management and preservation of resources in the park that are associated with the Office of Strategic Services time period It would be based off of findings in the Office of Strategic Services cultural landscape inventory

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Notes

XSpecies of concern management plan

M

This plan would be based off of the conditions of species of concern survey and assessment data need It would help the park make informed decisions regarding management of identified species of concern

X Marketing plan M

This plan would be informed by the visitor use management plan and would help provide the park with a strategy to better brand and market itself to the surrounding community and region

X Museum scope of collections M

A scope of collections plan would help provide guidance for the acquisition of additional objects while providing a roadmap for the development of the museum collections and archives

XUngulate/deer management plan

MThere may be an opportunity to partner with other parks in the region to prepare a plan to address increasing white-tailed deer populations

X Vegetation management plan M

A long-term strategy is needed to protect and repair riparian buffers (vegetating areas next to streams) and to identify habitat improvement strategies for threatened and endangered species

X Cemetery management plan M

The cemetery management plan would help identify partnership and volunteer opportunities to assist with stewardship of the many cemeteries located within the park

X Land protection plan MThis plan is needed to strategize land acquisition within the legislated boundary of the park and to proactively address boundary encroachment

X Commercial services plan M

Following the guidance given in the visitor use management plan and the cabin camp management plan, the commercial services plan would define appropriate types of commercial uses and fee structures The plan would also look at financial sustainability through reviewing forms of revenue and identifying additional revenue opportunities to support park operations

Accessibility transition plan MThis plan would identify barriers to universal accessibility in the park—physical and programmatic—as well as identify how and when those barriers should be removed

X Wild boar plan LAs this nonnative species spreads into the region a plan may be needed to identify strategies to address their impacts on park resources

X

Engineering and design work for constructing the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail

L

Pending the outcome of a trail management plan, engineering and design work would be needed to address the treatment recommendations identified in the trail management plan

X Collection storage plan LThis plan would identify the storage equipment and space necessary to house items within the parks scope of collections


45




Notes

X Museum disaster plan LA museum disaster plan is needed to identify strategies to protect the museum collections under various disaster scenarios

XMuseum integrated pest management plan

LThis plan will identify strategies for prevention, monitoring, and elimination to address issues with pests and pest-related damage to museum collections

Comprehensive interpretive plans

L

A comprehensive interpretive plan is needed to define a strategic process that, in its implementation, achieves management objectives for interpretation and education by facilitating meaningful connections between visitors and park resources It would also include an updated long-range interpretive plan that will ensure that park interpretation is consistent with current scholarship of park resources, reflects modern attitudes, and addresses visitor needs and demands

Long-range transportation plan

L

This plan would provide the park with comprehensive guidance on how to best move visitors through the park while maximizing the visitor experience and minimizing impacts to the resources

X Partnership/agreements plan LA plan is needed to identify strategic partnerships and agreements that would help the park leverage resources to achieve its purpose and maintain its significance

Ringing the camp fire bell (NPS photo)

Foundation Document

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Part 3 ContributorsPrince William Forest ParkVidal Martinez, Superintendent

George Liffert, Deputy Superintendent

Teresa Dickinson, Facility Manager

Paul Petersen, Chief of Resource Management

Laura Cohen, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services

Cynthia Sirk-Fear, Chief of Visitor & Resource Protection

Kathy Metz, Business Manager

Kathy Caudill, Safety Officer

Ralph Marrantino, Cabin Camp Program Manager

Chuck Ayres, Roads and Trails Supervisor

Scott Shea, Buildings and Utilities Supervisor

Tracy Ballesteros, Administrative Assistant

Eric Kelley, Biologist

Colette Carmouche, Cultural Resource Specialist

Rocco Schroeder, Maintenance Mechanic

National Capital Regional OfficeDavid Hayes, Regional Planner and Transportation Liaison

Sue Hansen, Chief of Interpretation and Education

Brandon Cadwell, Student Intern

PreparersJordan Hoaglund, Project Manager, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

Justin Henderson, Cultural Resource Specialist, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

John Gerbich, Community Planner, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

Nancy Doucette, Visitor Use Management Specialist, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

ConsultantsNancy Shock, Foundations Coordinator, WASO Park Planning and Special Studies

Pam Holtman, Quality Assurance Coordinator, WASO Park Planning and Special Studies

Melody Bentfield, Contract Librarian, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

Ken Bingenheimer, Editor, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning

Damien Joseph, Visual Information Specialist, NPS Denver Service Center, Planning


47

Park Enabling Legislation

Date Description

Emergency Relief and Construction Act of 1932

47 Stat 717 July 21, 1932

Authorizes the acquisition of land by purchase, condemnation, or otherwise that would be needed for “emergency construction of public building projects outside the District of Columbia ”

Federal Emergency Relief Act

May 12, 1933

Created Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) with responsibilities to conduct investigations dealing with problems of unemployment relief, provide “grants to the several States to aid in meeting the costs of furnishing relief and work relief … ”

National Industrial Recovery Act

48 Stat 200 June 16, 1933

This act authorized the president to establish agencies for the purpose of implementing the act with termination of agencies, etc “at the expiration of two years after the date of enactment of this Act … ” It also authorized the establishment of public works programs and projects

Fourth Deficiency Act June 16, 1933During Fiscal Year 1933 this act provided funding for activities approved under the National Industrial Recovery Act

Emergency Relief Appropriation Act

April 8, 1935

During Fiscal Year 1935, this act authorized appropriations pursuant to title II of the National Industrial Recovery Act and the Federal Emergency Relief Act of 1933 for the benefits of public works and “to meet the emergency and necessity for relief in stricken agricultural areas ”

54 Stat 785Public Law 763

Note: This legislation is included on page 49.

August 13, 1940

An act to provide for the operation of the recreational facilities within the Chopawamsic Recreational Demonstration Project, near Dumfries, Virginia, by the Secretary of the Interior through the National Park Service, and for other purposes

56 Stat 326

Public Law 2852June 6, 1942

Required that all RDA project areas be maintained for “public park, recreational and conservation purposes ” Authorized the conveyance of “recreation demonstration project lands to the States with the approval of the President ”

62 Stat 571

Public Law 736June 22, 1948

An act to authorize the transfer of certain federal lands within the Chopawamsic Park to the Secretary of the Navy, the additional lands needed to round out the boundaries of this park, to change the name of said park to Prince William Forest Park, and for other purposes

Public Law 640 August 3, 1950“To authorize grantees of recreation demonstration project lands to make land exchanges relating to such properties, and for other purposes ”

Appendix A:

Enabling Legislation And Legislative Acts For Prince William Forest ParkUnlike many units of the national park system, Prince William Forest (Chopawamsic) has no single comprehensive enabling legislation. Rather the establishment and operation of the park is influenced by numerous pieces of federal legislation and executive orders. Emerging as a recreational demonstration area out of New Deal legislation in the 1930s, Prince William Forest (Chopawamsic) was transferred to the National Park Service by Executive Order 7496 dated November 14, 1936. Public Law 2852 dated June 6, 1942, required that all RDA project areas be maintained for “public park, recreational and conservation purposes.”

Foundation Document

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Park Enabling Legislation

Date Description

67 Stat 184

Public Law 83-144July 26, 1953

An act to authorize the exchange of lands acquired by the United States for Prince William Forest Park, Prince William County Virginia, for the purpose of consolidating federal holdings therein, and for other purposes

116 Stat 2458 § 2835

P L 107-314

January 1, 2002

An act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2003 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe personal strengths for such fiscal year for the Armed Forces, and for other purposes (short title: “Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003”)

6747 June 23, 1934Allocated funds to “meet the Emergency and Necessity for relief in stricken Agricultural Areas and specifically to FERA for making grants to States … ”

6910-BDecember 1, 1934

Allocated to FERA the sum of $5,000,000 for the purpose of affording relief through the purchase of sub-marginal lands in the stricken agricultural areas including the necessary costs of administration of such lands as may be acquired for such purpose, and to the Emergency Conservation Fund the sum of $10,000,000, for the establishment and maintenance of Civilian Conservation Corps camps

6983 March 6, 1935

Authorizes FERA to acquire property “connection with the construction or carrying on of any project or program financed by allocations, allotments, or transfers made, or to be made, to FERA under the authority and in accordance with the provisions of the said National Industrial Recovery Act… ”

7027 April 30, 1935

Established the ”Resettlement Administration” to “initiate and administer a program of approved projects with respect to soil erosion, stream pollution, seacoast erosion, reforestation, forestation, and flood control ”

7028 April 30, 1935Transfers from FERA to the Resettlement Administration all the real and personal property or any interest therein …, acquired by the FERA administrator and the Director of the Land Program

7034 May 6, 1935The Works Progress Administration was established as a successor to the Civil Works Administration

7496November 14, 1936

Transferred recreation demonstration project lands from the Resettlement Administration to the Secretary of Interior for the National Park Service to complete and administer the projects being transferred


49

PUBLIC LAW 763, 54 STAT 785

HeinOnline -- 54 Stat. 785 1936-1941Camp 5 Dam construction (NPS photo)

50

Foundation Document

Appendix B: Prince William Forest Park Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments

NameAgreement

TypeStart Date

Stakeholders Purpose

Special use permit for concrete dam

Special use permit

8/12/1936Department of the Navy

Department of the Interior issued a permit (upon request of the Department of the Navy) for the construction of a concrete dam on Chopawamsic Creek on NPS lands to provide a water source for the base (created Breckenridge Reservoir)

Special use permit for the use of lands previously used by the Department of the Navy

Special use permit


A revocable special use permit was issued to the Department of the Navy for the continued use of 4,862 acres of land until the stipulations of PL 80-736 (6/22/1948) could be met

Special use permit for continued use of park lands by the Department of the Navy

Special use permit


A new special use permit was issued to the Navy for the continued use of 4,514 acres The National Park Service retained the “full” use of 348 acres for the Chopawamsic backcountry area

Memorandum of understanding between commanding general, Marine Corps Base Quantico and Prince William Forest Park superintendent

Memorandum of understanding

3/10/1998Marine Corps Base Quantico

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the park superintendent and the commanding general, Marine Corps Base Quantico, to resolve the land issue through mutually agreeable land assignment to support the mission of each agency, effectively fulfilling PL 80-736 (6/22/1948) The memorandum of understanding also established a 300-foot “green corridor” along the federally owned portions of Virginia State Route 619

Watershed agreements (2) Marine Corps Base Quantico


Marine Corps Base Quantico

A memorandum of understanding was signed for the protection of the Quantico and Chopawamsic Creek Watersheds

Sewer lift station agreement with Washington-Reid School, county public school

1970sPrince William Country public school system

Prince William County GIS data sharing


Prince William County

Prince William County Police Department law enforcement and jurisdictional responsibilities


Prince William County

Camp 5 Dam construction (NPS photo)


51

NameAgreement

TypeStart Date

Stakeholders Purpose

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative

Agreement with Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) for trail maintenance


4/30/2113PATC, NPS, and the public

This memorandum of understanding is for the maintenance of park trails

Quantico Orienteering Club


Quantico Orienteering Club

Letter of intent with NatureBridge organization

Letter of intent NatureBridge

Regional agreement Bridging the Watershed within agency (Prince William Forest Park focus)

State historic preservation office determination on types of shingles used on the historic camp cabins


Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Easements for Wiesenberger property

Conservation easement

Easements for Marshall Court

Conservation easement

These easements were issued in lieu of fee-simple acquisition

Land exchange—Prince William County Service Authority

The park maintains numerous agreements with the Prince William County Service Authority, including land easements and design guidelines related to paint color on the water tower and other structures

Gas line right-of-way with Columbia Gas

Right-of-way Columbia Gas

High-voltage transmission lines (2) right-of-way with Dominion Power

Right-of-way Dominion Power

Environmentally contaminated lands liabilities (OSS activities)

NPS and Army Corps of Engineers

Mitigation of these formerly used defense site during the OSS era is completed

Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue jurisdictional responsibilities


pendingPrince William County

Foundation Document

52

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historic places; and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.

PRWI 860/121631A December 2013

Printed on recycled paper

National Capital Region Foundation Document RecommendationPrince William Forest Park

December 2013

This Foundation Document has been prepared as a collaborative effort between park and regional staff and is recommended for approval by the Northeast Regional Director

RECOMMENDED Superintendent, Prince William Forest Park Date

APPROVED Regional Director, National Capitol Region Date


Foundation Document

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Foundation Document • Prince William Forest Park

NatioNal Park Service • U.S. DePartmeNt of the iNterior

foundation document...oak ridge campground (no rv hookups) farms to forest trail loop cemetery...

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